


Highschool

by Sometimes_Is_A_Long_Time



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Normal High School, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, High School, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-18
Updated: 2020-12-14
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:13:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27078625
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sometimes_Is_A_Long_Time/pseuds/Sometimes_Is_A_Long_Time
Summary: Reiner Braun is now a Senior in Highschool when he realizes that his relationship with his best friend is a little more complicated than he previously thought.
Relationships: Reiner Braun & Bertolt Hoover, Reiner Braun/Bertolt Hoover
Comments: 1
Kudos: 48





	1. Help

Reiner shifted in place, grasping the strap of his duffle bag that hung over his left shoulder. He was standing outside Bertholdt’s front door, contemplating whether he should leave or commit to his- last minute- plan of asking his friend for help. As minutes began to pass, Reiner started to realize how creepy it was for him to stand outside the door, unmoving.

_‘Why am I so nervous? We’re friends, there’s nothing weird about asking for help.’_ Reiner tried to shake away his anxiety, finally finding the courage to ring the doorbell. Shuffling could be heard inside the house before a long silence fell. The blond turned his back to the house as he swiftly ran down the steps. Reiner regretted coming. There was a feeling of relief that came over him as his feet hit the concrete sidewalk. It seemed Bertholdt wasn’t home.

“Reiner?” The blond stopped dead in his tracks, his head turning toward the house to see his friend peeking out from behind the front door. Reiner felt his heart sink.

“Hey.” Reiner had a sheepish smile on his face.

“What are you doing here? I thought you had practice today.” Bertholdt stepped out from behind the door, revealing the same clothing that Reiner had seen him in earlier at school.

“Oh- yeah, it was cancelled.” Reiner didn’t want to lie, especially to Bertholdt, but he would rather tell a small, white lie than confess the humiliating truth on why he _actually_ was there. Reiner was failing. This wasn’t a new development, but only recently had it started to pile up. Ever since they started highschool, Reiner found himself prioritizing his social life over his education, and this was simply the year it caught up with him.

Bertholdt nodded, opening the door, “Do you want to come in?” The blond hesitated before making his way up the steps, entering Bertholdt’s home. A small _thank you_ left his lips as he brushed past the taller boy. Embarrassment started to creep up on Reiner’s face at the realization he would have to commit to his plan. His plan, of course, was to ask Bertholdt to tutor him.

“Sorry for not telling you I was coming over.” Reiner set his bags down as the two boys moved to Bertholdt’s bedroom. This wasn’t Reiner’s first time over, far from it. Reiner and Bertholdt had been friends since they were little kids, but things were different now. Reiner was a well-known and well liked student and- to put it bluntly- he was rather popular. Bertholdt, on the other hand, was not that. He was the ‘ _tall kid who hung out with Reiner,_ ’ nothing more and nothing less. Reiner was the football linebacker, Bertholdt was in chess club, Reiner was Homecoming king, Bertholdt was a TA; they lived in very different worlds. But even then, Bertholdt still followed Reiner, and Reiner always brought him along.

“It’s fine.” Bertholdt sat himself down on his bed, “Why did they cancel your practice?”

Reiner felt his face heat up as he quickly thought of a response, “Weather.”

“It’s sunny out…” Bertholdt’s expression turned to one of concern. He knew something was up.

“Oh- yeah, it is. Huh…” Reiner wanted to kick himself. Of course it was sunny, it had been sunny all day. “Well, they told us it was because of the weather, so maybe it’s really hot today.” A small laugh left him, an attempt to cover up his weak lie.

“Yeah, maybe.” Bertholdt crossed his legs, watching Reiner seat himself beside him on the bed. Reiner was working up the courage to ask his question, but- for once- he couldn’t find the words.

_‘Just say it.’_ Reiner kept repeating the phrase in his mind, although it didn’t help. A long silence fell between the two boys.

“So, uh, what do you need?” Bertholdt finally broke the silence, much to Reiner’s surprise.

“Hm?” The blond looked at the taller boy with a blank expression. Reiner was still lost in thought.

“Why’d you come over?” Bertholdt didn’t mean for his question to come out as bleak as it did. He enjoyed Reiner’s company, even now he wouldn’t mind just spending an afternoon with him, but he was aware that’s not how these interactions went. Reiner only spent time with him when he needed something, whether it was to talk through something on his mind or a favor. Sometimes it was aggravating for Bertholdt, but, usually, he didn’t mind it. The company was enough for it to be worth it.

“I just-” Reiner swallowed the lump in his throat, “You’re smart.”

Bertholdt simply blinked at Reiner’s comment, “O-Okay.” Reiner felt his face heat up again before caving.

“I need help with my homework.” The words felt heavy. Reiner couldn’t help but feel ashamed. Although Bertholdt and Reiner were close, even he had trouble admitting to his friend he was struggling. It made it even more embarrassing.

“Oh, is that it?” Bertholdt laughed quietly, “I thought something was wrong.” Reiner looked at Bertholdt confused. He had expected a different response, a more _demeaning_ response. After seeing Bertholdt’s relaxed expression, Reiner felt foolish for thinking that. Bertholdt was his best friend, of course he wasn’t going to make fun of him. Bertholdt was always understanding.

“Wow, I must look like an idiot.” Reiner covered his face, his embarrassment still plastered on.

“You’re not an idiot, Reiner.” The taller boy put his hand on Reiner’s back. _Bertholdt was always understanding._ “What do you need help on?”

“Math mostly.” Reiner removed his hand from his face, reaching for his bag to get out his work. Reiner needed help in every subject, but he was going to take it one step at a time. He didn’t want to overwhelm Bertholdt with a mountain of late work.

“Okay.” Bertholdt watched the blond take out a plethora of papers, much more than he had expected. "Oh wow."

"Yeah, it's kind of a lot…" Reiner chuckled nervously, "Football takes a lot of my time, so I usually don't do my work."

"Ah." Bertholdt nodded. He knew Reiner had changed over the years, but even he was shocked to see his friend so behind on work. It was concerning, especially considering this was their Senior year. If Reiner got held back, Bertholdt wasn't sure what he was going to do.

Reiner sighed, "Yeah, this is about all of it." In his hands there was a stack of papers, all spanning from the beginning of the school year to just earlier that day. Reiner _really_ hadn't been doing work.

"O-Okay, uhm-" Bertholdt stood up, "We should do this at my desk." Reiner nodded in agreement.

Reiner moved to Bertholdt's desk, sitting comfortably in the padded chair as Bertholdt pulled up a stool beside him. They started working right away. Bertholdt would look at a problem, ask Reiner to try it, and fix the mistakes along the way. Hours had passed before they started making a dent in the stack of work.

"Okay, I think that's good enough." Reiner let out a tired laugh, placing another completed worksheet on the small pile of others they had done, "You are a lifesaver saver, Bertl."

"Yeah." Bertholdt yawned. The hours of explaining polynomials were starting to weigh down on him. Reiner noticed the tired look in the younger man's eyes.

"Thank you for doing this, I know you didn't have to help me… then again, you always seem to be helping me out." Reiner put his hand on Bertholdt's shoulder, "You're a great person, Bertl." This made Bertholdt's face turn red.

"N-No problem." Bertholdt looked at the desk to try and hide his embarrassment. Reiner stood up, grabbing and placing his papers back in his backpack. It was late now.

"Hey, let me buy you dinner." The blond had a large grin on his face, "Consider it a thank you." 

Bertholdt shook his head, meeting Reiner's eyes, "No, you don't have to do that-"

"Of course I have to! I _want_ to, Bertl." Reiner pulled Bertholdt off the stool, putting his head in a loose headlock to ruffle his hair, "If you refuse that's just rude."

"O-Okay." Bertholdt laughed before pushing Reiner away, escaping from his grip. Both of them had smiles on their faces.

"Let's go, I'll drive." Reiner grabbed his bags, exiting the room. Bertholdt followed close behind after slipping on his sneakers.

The car ride was rather quiet, music played to fill the silence and lack of conversation. Bertholdt found solace in it. Bertholdt saw this as proof of how close the two had become, they were comfortable with silence. The younger man watched Reiner as he drove, noticing the nonchalant expression that the blond usually had on his face. Reiner was still the same person underneath it all. Both of them were.

They went to a Diner a few streets away from the neighborhood Bertholdt lived in. There weren't many people there that evening, it was a Tuesday night after all. The booths were worn, and the tables were carved, but the food was more than good. They usually went there after football games, although the company was much larger than just the two of them. Reiner had a lot of friends.

"Oh shoot, I didn't even ask if your family had dinner planned, my bad." Reiner looked at Bertholdt. He was sitting across from him.

Bertholdt looked up from the menu in his hands, "It's fine, my dad works late so I was probably going to make something."

_'Bertholdt's dad works nights, I forgot.'_ Reiner scratched the back of his neck, nodding as Bertholdt spoke. The blond scanned the menu, unsure of what he wanted. His mind started to wonder from the menu to school.

Highschool hadn't been bad, even if he was now failing all his classes. Reiner had good friends, Bertholdt being one of them. He was doing a lot outside of school too, but the more he thought about it, the more the blond realized how much he had started to drift away from Bertholdt. Just Freshman year, the two boys hung out almost every day after school, whether it be at each other's houses or the movies. Now he couldn't recall the last time the two spent time together alone, one of Reiner's friends always tagged along with them. Or maybe it was Bertholdt who tagged along? Reiner never involved the taller man in their conversations or jokes, and that realization left a bitter taste in his mouth. He wasn't sure how exactly their friendship turned into this, but he was glad he was able to realize the fault in it. Reiner had been selfish. Even now, the only reason he went to see Bertholdt was for help. Bertholdt was more than just an aide, he was a friend. Bertholdt was his _best friend_.

"Reiner?" The blond was pulled from his thoughts.

"Yeah?" Reiner met Bertholdt's still eyes.

"Are you going to order?"

Reiner looked over to see a waiter had positioned herself by the table, pen in hand. He hadn't seen her come up.

"Yeah, my bad." Reiner kept his order brief, not feeling hungry after his thoughts. After the waiter left, the blond tried to make small talk.

"So, how are you?" Reiner clasped his hands together, leaning on the table to show his interest.

Bertholdt shifted in his seat, "I'm fine."

"That's good." Reiner noticed the discomfort in Bertholdt's body language. The taller man had always been easy to read. "Are you sure?'

Bertholdt nodded, looking at Reiner with a small smile, "Yeah, it's just been a while." That made Reiner feel sick. It was clear Bertholdt had noticed the change, so much so that he was _used_ to it.

_'Why didn't you say something?'_ Reiner wanted to ask him. _'You should've told me.'_ He was disgusted in himself. Reiner had always thought he was a selfless person, but that was just his ego talking.

"Yeah…." Reiner gritted his teeth, "I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" Bertholdt looked surprised, confused by Reiner's change in tone.

"A lot of things." Reiner laughed at himself. He was pathetic. He couldn't even tell Bertholdt he was failing his classes, let alone _properly_ apologize to him.

The waiter returned with their food before Bertholdt had the opportunity to respond. The conversation shifted back to small talk as they ate.

The night ended when Reiner dropped Bertholdt back home, parking his car before watching the younger man unbuckle his seatbelt.

"Thanks for dinner." Bertholdt smiled, exiting the car.

"No problem." Reiner smiled back, "Have a goodnight." He wanted to tell Bertholdt he was sorry, and that he was going to be better, but the words never left his mouth. The only thing he was able to say before Bertholdt was out of his line of sight was a quiet _thank you._


	2. Crush

Reiner became more attentive. He started talking to Bertholdt more than before, involving the younger man in conversations with his other friends. While Bertholdt didn’t really add anything, he looked much happier- Reiner even saw him laugh more often. It was a sight he had forgotten how much he enjoyed.

“You know what we should do? After the game, we should have a party.” Reiner looked up from his lunch. Jean was talking with a sly grin on his face. They were eating lunch, their large group of friends managed to barely fit around the circular table.

“A party?” Reiner chuckled, “What are you? 12?”

Jean rolled his eyes, “Come on, it’ll be fun! I have the house to myself, so we can do it at my place.” Another smile crept on his face, “Hey, you can even invite Christa.”

Reiner felt his face heat up.  _ Christa _ . Christa was a cheerleader, and probably the most liked girl in the school. She was kind hearted, always looking out for others before herself. Her and Reiner were seen as the ‘ _ ideal _ ’ couple. It only made sense for the best football player to be with such a nice girl. At some point, Reiner  _ did _ like the idea of it, but now he was unsure if he just liked her because she was a good person or if he  _ genuinely _ liked her romantically. He tried not to dwell on it, but the pressure to be with her did show on his face.

“I’m not sure she’d want to come to a party, she doesn’t seem like that kind of person.” Armin chirped up. The conversation got away from Reiner, something he was thankful for. He didn’t want to think of the convoluted relationship he had with Christa.

The blond looked to Bertholdt who sat beside him. Bertholdt was distracted. Reiner followed his gaze to see he was staring at a girl.

_ ‘Oh? _ ’ Reiner squinted, focusing on the person of interest. It was Annie. The three of them had been friends when they were younger- much younger- but that friendship quickly dissolved, for personal reasons. Bertholdt had a crush on her back then, and from the looks of it, he still had a liking for her. Reiner felt a lump in his throat. He wasn’t sure why, but this realization upset him greatly. Reiner hadn’t noticed Bertholdt take interest in anyone up until this point.  _ ‘Of course he likes someone, we’re in high school.’ _ The blond tried to shake his distress away. It’s normal for people to have crushes- but then why hadn’t Reiner had any? Of course there was Christa, but that was complicated. As Reiner watched the fondness in Bertholdt's eyes, he realized he hadn’t ever looked at someone like  _ that _ .  _ ‘Fuck.’ _

__ “I didn’t know you still liked Annie.” Reiner spoke quietly, at a volume only Bertholdt could hear. The taller boy quickly turned, shifting his eyes to Reiner. His face had flushed red.

“W-What?” Bertholdt tried to hide his embarrassment behind a weak smile.

“You should invite her.” Reiner playfully nudged Bertholdt. Bertholdt shook his head at Reiner’s comment.

“N-No.” The taller man fidgeted with his hands. He was nervous. Bertholdt wasn’t the kind of person to invite someone to places, especially a  _ girl _ .

“Well, if you won’t, I will.” Reiner stood up- an action that had horrified Bertholdt.

_ ‘This is how I’ll make it up to you.’  _ Reiner forced a smile as he walked from their table towards Annie. Many eyes followed him as he approached her.

“Hey Annie.” Reiner tapped the girl on the shoulder, getting her attention. Annie wasn’t much different from when they were younger, she always had a cold expression on her face. Her bluntness also added to her overall dreery personality.

“What do you want?” While the blonde was shocked, it was carefully hidden under her unchanging eyes.

“It’s been a while, huh? You look nice.” Reiner tried to make small talk, something that didn’t get a response from the girl in front of him. He coughed, “So, uh… Are you doing anything tomorrow night?”

“Why?” Annie crossed her arms, curious as to why Reiner- someone who she hasn’t talked to in years- suddenly found an interest in her.

Reiner shifted in place, easing his nerves, “You should come to a party we’re gonna have tomorrow, after the football game.” Annie was unimpressed. The blond scratched his neck, “And uh, Bertholdt’s gonna be there...so you guys can catch up.”

“I’ll think about it.” With that, Annie shifted her attention back to her meal. Reiner took that as a win. As Reiner sat back down in his seat, he was met with an even more flustered Bertholdt than before.

“What did you do?” Bertholdt whispered, clear panic in his voice. Reiner pat the taller man on the back, a large smile on his face.

“Don’t worry, I just invited her to the party.” Reiner chuckled, “You should’ve told me.”

Bertholdt shook his head, “There’s nothing to tell you.” While Reiner would’ve liked to believe that, Bertholdt’s face told a different story.

The rest of lunch went by quickly. The conversations were brief and senseless, as they often were, but Reiner enjoyed them. When school ended, Reiner went to football practice. Practice consisted of nothing new, hours of badgering mixed with laborious routine. Reiner enjoyed the laborious routine. Everything left his mind when he was at football practice, not a thought of grades or school crossed- but Bertholdt did. It was odd. Reiner wasn’t sure why, but he couldn't get Bertholdt's face off his conscious. The way his eyes radiated such tenderness while he stared at Annie- it made Reiner's stomach curl.

_ 'Why did he look at her like that? _ ' The blond bit his tongue as the thought crossed his mind. He was becoming very distracted. Reiner knew Bertholdt liked Annie, but what could warrant him to look at her so  _ lovingly _ ? Was it her looks? Her personality? Maybe it was just a small attraction from their childhood that never went away.  _ No _ . If it was that, Bertholdt wouldn't have looked so...so…. _ happy _ .

"Reiner, are you paying attention?" The blond looked at his teammate beside him, shaken by the sudden voice.

"Yeah, sorry." Reiner let out a nervous laugh. He was in practice, he needed to focus.

When practice ended, the sky was dark. Reiner grabbed his bags from his locker, shoving his dirtied cleats with his clothes. He was going to clean them anyways. Many of his teammates began to clear out, all tired from the hours they spent there. As Reiner walked out the gym, he noticed someone waiting outside the doors. It was Bertholdt.

"Hey, what are you doing here so late?" Reiner threw his duffle bag over his shoulder, adjusting to the weight of the bag against his back.

Bertholdt looked tired, "I was going to ask you for a ride. I had to stay after school to do some work, and when I finished I noticed you guys were still practicing. When I started watching, I didn't realize the practices ended so late."

Reiner was surprised. He noticed some people in the stands, but he never picked out Bertholdt. The taller man was on his mind, so it made it even more shocking that he didn't notice.

"Oh, yeah. Well, we have a game tomorrow, so practice ran longer than usual." Reiner smiled, "I can give you a ride."

The car ride was quiet. Reiner noticed that was a common occurrence whenever he drove with Bertholdt, although he wasn't sure why. They were good friends, conversation would come easily, but words never left either of them. Even the music seemed to feed into the silence, making it blaringly obvious that the two didn't want to speak- or maybe they simply didn't know what to say? Reiner had a lot on his mind. His thoughts from practice resurfaced as he drove. The blond wanted answers, but didn't know how to form the questions without coming off as desperate. He wasn't desperate.  _ He was confused. _

"So, uh, Annie's pretty hot." Reiner wanted to kick himself.  _ Annie's pretty hot? _ He sounded like a teenager. Well, he  _ was _ a teenager, but 17 was very different then 13.

"What?" Bertholdt blinked. Even Bertholdt was puzzled by Reiner's comment.

Reiner laughed, "I mean... she's very cool. Very, uh, relaxed." The blond wished he could shut up. Every word that left his mouth sounded worse than before.

"Y-Yeah." Bertholdt had a small smile on his face. Reiner was sure it was from secondhand embarrassment.

"Yeah…" There was a small pause before Reiner spoke again, "Why didn't you tell me?" There was a bitterness to his voice. Reiner had tried to correct it, but the bitterness seeped through. "We're friends, right? You can tell me anything."

"There's nothing to tell." Bertholdt spoke calmly. Much more calmly than Reiner had expected, especially from the tone he had just spoken to him in.

"That's not-" Reiner cut himself off. He was angry now. Why was he so angry? Bertholdt didn't do anything, Reiner was the one pushing questions onto him. There was no reason for Reiner to be upset. None at all, so why did he feel so aggravated? His chest was heavy, and the thought of everything he almost said made him feel nauseous. " _ Sorry _ ."

They stopped at a red light. Reiner took that moment to look at Bertholdt. The taller man was looking out the window, seemingly unbothered by Reiner's actions.

"Bertholdt?" Reiner spoke quietly. Bertholdt looked at Reiner. He was solemn.

"I'm sorry, I just don't understand why you didn't tell me you had feelings for her." Reiner had picked his words carefully, keeping his face relaxed as to not show how hurt he really was. There was no reason for him to feel as hurt as he did.

"It's not something we talk about." Bertholdt shifted in his seat, clearly embarrassed by the topic.

"Well that's because I didn't know you liked someone." Reiner chuckled, focusing back on the road to drive, "So let's talk about it." This was his opportunity to finally ask his question.

"I-I don't know, Reiner." Bertholdt shook his head.

"Come on, it's just me and you. I won't tell anyone if that's what you're worried about." Reiner gripped the wheel tightly, "What's so good about her?"

Bertholdt opened his mouth to speak, but no words left it.

"Wow, she's got you speechless." Reiner kept teasing. As light as his tone was, he was still upset.  _ So very upset _ .

"I-I don't know." Bertholdt crossed his arms. Bertholdt was uncomfortable.

_ 'Fuck.' _ Reiner did it. He made Bertholdt uncomfortable. It was a horrible feeling, even worse than what he had felt thinking about Bertholdt's feelings towards Annie. Reiner had to go and ruin it.

The rest of the car ride was silent. The silence was not kind to Reiner.  _ Not kind at all. _


	3. Football Game

Today was the day of the football game. The bleachers were filled with students, most standing or leaning on each other for a better view of the field. It was the last game of the season, and there was a lot of pressure riding on the football team.

Bertholdt was standing near the team benches. He enjoyed exchanging any last words of encouragement to his friend before he played, whenever the opportunity was there. Normally, Bertholdt never found any real entertainment from the games, but this time, he could very clearly feel his heart racing in his chest. This was going to be a very close game.

"Let's go!!" Bertholdt could hear screaming all around him. It seems everyone was on the edge of their seats. Reiner had been benched for a while now, and he looked very eager to get back on the field. Bertholdt wished he could talk to him, sit next to him and hype him up- although he was probably already hyped up.

With a blow of the whistle, the team gathered and sat down, desperate for water and rest. Reiner stood to let his teammates sit, patting them on the shoulder as they walked past him. Bertholdt could see them talking to each other, although their voices were too quiet to be heard, he could almost hear Reiner's if he focused hard enough. At one point, Bertholdt had considered joining the football team, he was rather athletically built, but football was not the sport for him- much too physical. Reiner always made it look easy, all it would take was a blow to the side for the blond to knock down his opponents. Bertholdt always found it quite impressive.

With another blow of the whistle, the game continued. Reiner was now on the field, and quite happy to be there by the looks of it. The last quarter went by rather quickly, with their team coming out victorious.

If the screams earlier were loud, the voices that could be heard now would be considered deafening. Bertholdt couldn't help but smile at yet another win, but he was more happy for Reiner.

'Reiner must be feeling quite proud.' Bertholdt watched the blond on the field. He was hugging his teammates as helmets were thrown off and arms were up in victory. Bertholdt wasn't likely to see Reiner for a while after the game, Reiner usually went out with his friends, and while he always insisted on Bertholdt coming along, there wasn't much for the younger man to do with a group of people that he wasn't friends with. To add on top of that, there was a party tonight, Bertholdt would be lucky to share more than a few sentences with his friend. As upsetting as this may seem to be, Bertholdt had grown to ignore the feeling. Reiner was allowed to grow and socialize with others, Bertholdt wasn't his only friend- well...not anymore at least.

"Are you coming?" Bertholdt felt an arm rest on his shoulders. It was Ymir. Ymir was an interesting character, and one Bertholdt never thought he'd become acquainted with. She was one of the few people he had developed some sort of friendship with, other than Reiner, or at least that's what he considered her to be, but Bertholdt was unsure if Ymir felt the same way towards him. They had begun talking after noticing their mutually, regular attendance to the football games. Both were there to see someone.

"Y-Yeah." Bertholdt felt the words stumble out of his mouth. The loud atmosphere and mass of people were a little disorienting. Bertholdt looked over his shoulder one last time before walking with Ymir to the school gym. He locked eyes with Reiner for just a moment, Bertholdt was just happy Reiner had seen him before leaving.

"You really ought to tell him to stop walking all over you, I didn't realize you were a doormat, Bertholdt." Ymir's comment didn't go unnoticed.

"What do you mean?" Bertholdt looked at the ground as he walked.

"It means you're a fucking doormat, what else would it mean?" Ymir pulled her arm away as they entered the gym. They waited for only a minute before Christa ran inside to greet them.

"We won!" The blonde wrapped her arms around Ymir, in a tight embrace even the brunette couldn't break- not that she tried to.

"You were so amazing out there! All the other cheerleader's were embarrassed by their sheer lack of talent compared to you!" Ymir's tone shifted to a much fonder and happier one as she spoke to Christa, but her comments were still as blunt as ever.

Christa laughed, ignoring Ymir, "Hey, Bertholdt. Tell Reiner, good job for me." Bertholdt simply nodded. He always felt like a third wheel around Ymir and Christa, they were so dynamic and happy together, Bertholdt didn't want to distract from it. At times, he wished Reiner and him were like that, but Ymir and Christa's relationship was a romantic one. Reiner wouldn't ever want something like that, and Bertholdt was content with that notion. They were just friends, at one point best friends, but even that title probably wasn't for Bertholdt anymore. Or at least it felt that way. Recently, Reiner had spent more time with him, but it seemed more out of pity than anything, especially after the Annie stunt.

"Yeah, and tell Reiner to stop being such an asshole." Ymir smiled.

Bertholdt laughed nervously, "I'm not going to tell him that, but okay." He scratched the back of his neck, "Actually, you could tell him yourself if you want… there's a party tonight, and it would be really nice if you two came along. People would love to see you...and honestly, I'd enjoy the company." 

"A party full of sweaty and probably underage, drunk football players? I'll pass." Ymir put her arm around Christa, clearly ready to be on her way.

Christa smiled, "Maybe we'll go, thanks for the offer." Bertholdt nodded once again. Ymir and Christa soon began to exchange in a conversation Bertholdt didn't bother to hear, he was now caught up in the worry of what he's going to do at the party. Ymir and Christa were his backup, but now that was falling through. Of course there's Reiner, but he is even more unlikely to be free. At least if Christa was there, Reiner would attempt to join their conversation, and Bertholdt could get the chance to speak to him.

"Hey, Bertholdt." Bertholdt was taken from his thoughts prematurely by just the boy he was thinking about.

"Reiner?" The confusion in his voice didn't hide his embarrassment.

"I was wondering where you went- I saw you at the bleachers earlier, I thought you were gonna to say hi or something." The blond had a large smile on his face, probably from the excitement of winning the season. Bertholdt took notice to the blond's dirtied uniform and sweat drenched hair. As gross as it was, Reiner pulled off the athletic look.

"Y-Yeah. I just- you usually hang out with your team after the game. I didn't want to intrude." Bertholdt attempted to sound impartial, but the hint of hesitation gave that away.

"I'm gonna see them later, I wanted to see what you were up to." Reiner shifted his gaze to Ymir and Christa, "H-Hey Christa."

"Oh, give your puppy eyes to someone else, you hussy." Ymir gritted her teeth. Reiner looked taken aback by Ymir's comment, Bertholdt assumed this was the first time the blond had properly met her.

"O-Okay?" Reiner awkwardly looked at Bertholdt for some reassurance. Bertholdt only laughed.

"Nice seeing you Reiner." Christa shoved Ymir in the side before turning toward the locker room.

"Yeah, nice seeing you." Ymir followed closely behind.

"What's up with them?" Reiner tried to shake off his embarrassment with a laugh.

"Hm? Oh, they're dating." Bertholdt shifted in place, unsure of how to carry the conversation.

Reiner nodded slowly, before shaking his head, "W-What?"

"They're...dating…" Bertholdt was a little shocked by Reiner's lack of understanding. Even the blond knew they were dating, right? Everyone knew that, it was common knowledge. Or at least, that's what Bertholdt thought.

"H-How?" Reiner looked over at the entrance of the girls locker room just in time to see the two girls exchange a kiss before Christa departed inside.

"What do you mean? They just...are." Bertholdt watched the Reiners expression. The blond's eyes widened, his mouth open to speak, but not a word was said as it closed.

"Oh…" Reiner looked at the ground for a moment before meeting Bertholdt's eyes, "I didn't know that was...a thing."

Bertholdt laughed, "A thing?" Reiner's face turned red.

"Look- I'm sorry I didn't know two girls could date- no one told me!"

"That's not something someone tells you." Bertholdt was amused to say the least. He was aware Reiner was rather ignorant with certain things, but he wasn't expecting that.

"Stop laughing at me. Bertholdt, this isn't funny." Reiner grumbled.

"It's a little funny." Bertholdt smiled sweetly before rubbing Reiner's back.

"Let's just get going- I don't want to be late to the party." Reiner grabbed Bertholdt by the arm as he exited the building.

"C-Can you even be late to a highschool party?" Bertholdt was startled by Reiner's haste.

"Technically? No. But I want to stop by my house to change." Reiner unlocked his car.

"Oh- you don't have to drive me, Reiner." Bertholdt spoke quickly, "I was going to get there on my own time."

Reiner looked at Bertholdt with a slightly shocked expression. Another flush of embarrassment covered the blonds cheeks, "Right…"

"I mean- unless you want me to go with you." Bertholdt spoke quietly.

"Of course I do." Reiner smiled, "You're my best friend, Bertl."

'Oh.' Now Bertholdt's face was turning red, 'I'm still your best friend.'

"I could at least drop you off at your house…" Reiner threw his bag into the backseat of his car.

Bertholdt smiled, "Yeah. Okay."

"Good." Reiner returned the smile.


End file.
